Down the Road
by Johnny Cade's little sister
Summary: Seven years change a lot of things. People grow up, things change. But no matter what we are still a family. Squeal to Roadtrip!
1. Losing Yourself

Chapter 1

J.D's POV

I learned at the age of 14 how precious life was. I learned at the age of 16 that I was in love with Eric Mason Randall. I learned at the age of 17 how cancer affects the body. And I learned at the age of 21 that there were no more options for my father.

Ponyboy Michel Curtis was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. He quit smoking when I was fourteen, but the doctors said that the tumor had grown and stayed in his lungs. He went through chemo, radiation, everything. It helped for a while, but that all changed the night Eric proposed to me.

We were all going to the city for drinks and dinner. Dad was looking better, skinner and pale, but better. Patrick was joking around with Cola, Kevin, Shayne, and Mikey sitting next to them reading his book. Darry, Soda, Two-Bit, Steve, and Dad were having what Cola and I like to call 'old man talks'. The older women were laughing and talking about work. Eric wouldn't let go of my hand.

We all sat at the table, laughing, talking, and smiling. In short it was looking like a good night. I was sitting next to Mike and Eric. Eric was looking a little nervous; he kept putting his hand in his pocket.

"Mikey? They have crayons here, don't you want to color?" I asked him. Mikey looked up from his book, putting the book in his lap.

"No thanks, I'm reading a very good book. It's about four men trying to redeem themselves after their crimes in New York, living on a farm in Alabama." He said sweetly. I sighed.

Mikey was a kid Einstein. He could read a textbook and then recite it to you. He didn't have many friends, but he didn't care. Books and Patrick were his friends. He didn't talk much either, but when he did, it was like I was talking to one of my professors. Mikey was small for his age, he looked like he was 5, not 7. He had Dad's auburn hair, and his eyes were blue and green. Mikey was a happy kid.

Patrick was the exact opposite. He was one of the most popular kids in his class, never shut his mouth, and was the life of the party. He looked like all the uncles and dad, with some of Mom mixed in him. He was a C average student, but he was passing. He tried in school, but he just really was average. But it never bothered him. He was fine with himself. That didn't mean he was an angle though. He's been hauled in a few times, mostly public disturbance. Dad didn't know what to do with him. Patrick was an idiot at times, but I loved him.

"Alright, kiddo, suit yourself." I say. Mikey goes back to his book.

Eric keeps fiddling with whatever was in his pocket, and it was starting to bug me.

"Will you stop that? You're driving me insane!" I say quietly.

"What? Oh, sorry baby. Just a little nervous." He say taking in a breath.

"About what, Eric? You've been a wreak all morning. Tell me what's wrong with you." I say kissing him on the cheek. He sighs then stands up and starts to tap his glass.

"Hey, can you all get quite for a minute. I need your attention, please." Everyone turns to look at him.

"Well, um about four of you know why we really set up this dinner tonight." He begins "I wanted everyone that me and J.D care about the most here for this moment." Eric turns to me. I was starting to catch on has Eric got down on his right knee. He pulls out a small case, the kind that you put a ring in. He opened it and there was my mother's wedding ring. I took in a sharp breath and put my hand over my mouth.

"Johnny Dallas Curtis, I've been in love with you since I was 16. You are my best friend and I am insanely in love with you. I want to be with you when I'm 80 years old, and I want to be with you now. J.D? Will you marry me?"

Everyone was looking at me. I looked at Dad, he was looking more pale then when we came here. He put his head in his hands. Dad was shaking. Soda noticed this and turned to him.

"Ponyboy? Are you feeling alright?" Just then Dad passed out. I rushed over to him and saw the blood staining his teeth. Darry and Soda got him out to the truck and told us to follow them. I looked at my brothers.

Patrick was in utter shock, and Mikey had little tears going down his cheeks. Aunt Rachel and Lizzy went over to them and told me that they would take them to the hospital and that I Cola, Shay, Kev, and Eric should ride in my car. Shay and Kevin rode in the front, while Cola and Eric kept me calm in the back.

We waited for three hours before Dr. Redding came to us. Mikey had fallen asleep, and Patrick was tapping his foot up and down. I, Darry, and Soda stood up as he came to us.

"How is he?" I asked. The doctor took off his glassed and put a hand on my shoulder.

"Ms. Curtis, your father is very weak. He might not make it through the night. I want you to understand that we are doing all that we can for him, but still." He said.

"He was doing so well" Darry said softly. Soda put his head in his hands and turned around.

"There is always surgery, but"

"He's not strong enough." I say quietly. Eric comes up and puts his arm around me.

"You and your family can stay the night. You might want to consider saying goodbye." I nodded and wiped the tears coming down my cheeks. I looked at my uncles; they looked as helpless as I felt.

"Alright." I turned to my brothers and saw that Mikey woke up.

"Let's go see Dad." I say. Mikey comes up and hugs my waist. I pick him up and Patrick takes my hand. Mikey wraps his legs around me and I hold him close as we go up to the oncology wing. Our family close behind us.

**It has started. Updates will be soon. Please Review**.


	2. Saying Goodbye

Chapter 2

Patrick's POV

J.D was going to kill me. I really regret what I said to Mr. York now. He was a good guy; I guess I'm just tense with Dad being in the hospital. Eric proposed to J.D three days ago and before she got to answer Dad collapsed on the spot. He was getting worse, even if J.D didn't want to tell us. She told me to be positive for M.J, but it's hard. Mike's only 7, he shouldn't be going through this.

I tapped my feet up and down until my heals got sore. Principal Simms called J.D half an hour ago. She must still be at the hospital. Somebody was always with Dad, I was all day yesterday. J.D is with his today with M.J. I put my head in my hands and try to think of what I will say to Dad and J.D. They won't buy the 'He doesn't like me' excuse. I am so grounded!

J.D came rushing in looking around for me. I groaned on the inside and stood up waiting for her to scold me. Instead she came over to me and took my hand.

"We need to go to the hospital. Dad's getting worse." She said hurriedly. I grabbed my bag as she signed me out. We nearly ran out of the school.

We drove to the hospital in silence, not wanting to bring up the hospital or Dad. She pulled in at the Emergency entrance, letting the orderly park it. We went up in the elevator and into Dad's room.

I've seen my Dad sick before. But he has never looked so weak. He had a mask over his face, going everywhere, the whole nine yards. M.J was lying next to him. Michael was crying. J.D went over to him and took his hand.

"Daddy? Daddy, Pat's here." She said gently. Dad slowly opened his eyes and gave me a small smile.

"Hey, bud. Come over here." He said. I smiled and went to his bed. I felt the tears in my eyes.

"Hey Dad. How are you feeling?" I asked taking his other hand that was around Mikey.

"Like hell, son. But don't think about that. I need you to do me a favor." He said, almost whispering. I had to lean in to hear him.

"What is it dad?" I asked. He sighed, trying not to cough.

"I need you to look after your sister and your brother for me when I'm gone. You'll be the man of the house now, and I need to know that you'll take care of them for me. Can you do that for me Patrick?"

I shook. I nodded quickly, forcing the tears to stay in my eyes and not on my face.

"Yeah, yeah sure Dad. I can do that."

The tears somehow came out, and Dad pulled me close to him. I wrapped my arms around him, not wanting to let go.

"I love you Dad." I said weakly.

"I love you too, Pat." He said.

All four of us somehow laid there in that small bed. Me next to Dad, Mikey on J.D's chest, J.D next to Dad. I don't know how much time passed. I didn't care though. I didn't want any of this to change. Why? What did we do? Why is this happening? We've already lost Mom! I can't lose my Dad to!

Soda and Aunt Rachael came in and sat by us. Soda went over to Dad and kissed his forehead.

"I love you kiddo." Soda choked out.

"I love you too Soda." Dad said trying to sit up a bit. Soda gently pushed him back down.

"Just stay there Pone. Don't strain yourself." He said softly.

We got off the bed and either stood or sat by Dad. Soon Darry and Lizzy came in with Shay and Cola.

"Hey guys." Dad said weakly. Darry came over to him and gave him a hug.

"Hey little buddy." He said, trying not to let us hear his voice crack. Dad gave a small chuckle.

"You haven't called me that since I was 16." He said smiling.

"Shut up." Darry muffles.

Soon everyone came, Steve, Eric, Two-Bit, Ronda, and Kevin. Steve and his wife got a divorce about 5 years ago, so she wasn't here anymore. We all just sat there, waiting for time to go by. Dad started coughing, and that meant blood would come out with it. Mikey couldn't stand that, so Aunt Lizzy took him out. At about nine' o'clock people had to go. Only me, J.D, Darry, and Soda stayed. Aunt Rachael took Mikey home so he wouldn't be here when "it" happened.

Dad kept hacking up blood, making it hard for him to breathe. Darry and Soda held him up as J.D held a basin to his face.

"Easy Ponyboy, just relax" Darry said rubbing circles into Dad's back. Dad kept breathing heavy, trying to stop coughing. The doctor finally came in, and went over to Dad.

"Alright, Ponyboy. How long have you been coughing?" he asked.

"About five minutes." Darry answered for him.

"Alright, let's just see what's going on." Dr. Redding put his stethoscope over Dad's chest and listened. The doctor sighs.

"Ponyboy, you've been a colleague of mine for almost 15 years. I'm not going to B.S you on this, you might not last the night. The tumor has created a blood clot in there and will burst soon. I'm so sorry. We'll make you as comfortable as we can, I can promise you that."

"Thanks Ben. But just give me local antistatic. I want to be with my family when I pass." Dad says calmly.

"Dad, don't. I don't want you to be in pain!" J.D says. Dad smiles and pats her hand.

"I'll be alright baby." He says calmly.

"Are you sure?" Redding asks. Dad nods.

"Alright, I'll order you it right now." He says leaving the room. There was an eerie silence.

"I've always hated that man." Dad says all of a sudden.

"What?" I laugh.

"I've never liked Dr. Redding. He's just annoying." Dad says. We all laugh.

"It's his voice. It sounds like a cat that got its tail stepped on." Dad says. I chuckle into his arm.

About 1 in the morning, it happened. Dad started to cough, not catching his breath. Alarms went off, and people ran in. J.D held onto me as the sound of the flat line wailed throughout the room and hallway. They tried to get him back, but they couldn't.

My Dad was gone.


	3. One Year Later

Chapter 3

Patrick's POV

1 year later.

J.D was going to kill me. She was going to rip out my organs and then shot me. I can't believe that I got caught! Damn that Anderson kid! He was supposed to be the damn lookout! And did anyone else get hauled in? NO! I am the only one that got caught, thank you so much Two-Bit for arresting me and calling my sister! I can't thank you enough!

It was about two in the morning, so only me and Two-Bit were in the police station, just waiting for J.D to come pick me up. She'll either have to leave Mikey at home, or get Mrs. Borax to stay with him. Why is it that when I want to get drunk and have a little fun, I get in trouble?

"You keep tapping your foot like that; it's going to fall off." Two-Bit says lazily. I roll my eyes.

"Whatever, when is J.D going to get here?" I ask myself. Two-Bit chuckles.

"I wouldn't be asking that question kid, you're going to be in a whole world of hurt when J.D gets her hands on you."

"Well you didn't have to call her, you could have just dropped me off at the house and let me go." I said leaning back into the chair.

"WOW! No, your sister called me, in tears mind you, begging me to go looking for you. She thought that you got jumped, kidnapped, and God knows else what." He said pointing at me. I shook my head.

After about fifteen more minutes, J.D came in. Wearing her pajama pants and a jacket, looking so angry that I thought that steam would come out of her ears.

"J.D….." I started.

"Get your ass in the car, Patrick." She said harshly. I sighed and nodded, going to the exit of the police station. I stopped by the door and listened to what J.D and Two-Bit were saying to each other.

"Two-Bit, I just, I don't know what to do with him anymore. If it's not drinking, it's fighting, if it's not fighting its skipping school. The state is threatening to take him and Mike away if he keeps it up! I'm drowning here! I can't do this! Mikey still wakes up at night, crying for dad, and what the hell am I suppose to tell him? Huh? Tell me what the hell I am suppose to do! Did Darry get some sort of "How to Raise Your Siblings" manual? Where is my copy? I don't know what I'm doing Two-Bit, I don't know why Dad wanted me to have custody, Darry should have gotten them, he would have been way better." She finished, she sounded like she was crying.

"J.D, you're doing fine. Your only 22, no one expected to you to know how to raise two kids. Especially two like your brothers." He said. J.D chuckled.

"Thank you for finding him. I'm glad it was you and not some other cop. You're not going to book him are you?" she asked.

"No, but he needs to get his act together, honey. If he gets in trouble again, I can't help him. Maybe you should have Darry or Soda talk to him. He never really got over your Dad."

I swallowed hard, no one talked about Dad, no one.

"Alright, I'll have Uncle Darry talk to him. Thanks Two-Bit." She said.

"Anytime, J.D"

I ran out to the car and got in before J.D saw me. I laid back and pretend to be asleep as she drove us home. She got M.J out of the back and shook me gently.

"Inside Pat. You're grounded. One month. No, TV, friends, or phone." She said as she carried M.J inside. I nodded. I could do without that. I went to bed that night, trying to get my mind out its haze from the beer me and Anderson drank.

**Sorry its short, Please Review. **


	4. Family Deals

I do not own anything.

Chapter 4

M.J's POV

"Mikey, Mike, wake up kiddo. We need to go pick Patrick up."

I opened my eyes slowly to see my sister J.D standing over me, looking exhausted. She was still in her pajamas with her put up, bags under her eyes. J.D has been pulling all-nighters at the bar, not really getting that much time to sleep. I knew that my brother was in big trouble, not only because it was two in the morning, but because he woke J.D up.

"Where are we going at this hour?" I ask her. J.D was getting my jacket out of the closet, sitting me up to help me put it one since I wasn't fully awake yet.

"Uncle Two-bit called, he found Pat. We have to go pick him up. And I can leave you here by yourself."

"I would be asleep. I wouldn't know if you were here or not." I argue.

"You can sleep in the car." She says. I yawn, wishing that I was back in my dream. It was the one where Dad was still alive and where J.D was in college, and where Patrick played on varsity.

"Carry me." I say not getting of the bed. J.D sighs and picks me up.

"You are getting to bug for this." She groans.

"I'm not hurting your back am I?" I ask her worriedly. J.D threw her back out a month ago. It still hurts her sometimes.

"No, it's fine baby." She smiles at me. She carries me to the car and I lay down in the seat.

"Seatbelt, Mike." She tells me. I groan and slide the belt over my chest. I must have fallen asleep before we got Patrick, because when I woke up I was back in my bed.

I sat up and read the alarm clock. It was ten thirty. Oh man, I missed nearly half of school! I jumped out of my bed and sprinted into the kitchen, and saw J.D there with two people I didn't know. They were wearing business suits and ties. When they saw me they gave me one of those fake smiles, the kind that they have to give, but they don't really mean it.

"As you can see, everything is fine. The house is clean and my brothers are both doing fine." J.D says.

"Why is this one just getting out of bed?" the lady in the gray suit snaps at my sister. I hate the state people. They treat us like thrash, it's not our fault that we have no parents. J.D takes care of us just fine.

"There is no school today. So I thought it would be nice if I let him sleep in." J.D says calmly.

"Where is the other one…..um," the man looks at his papers; they hardly even know our names. "Patrick? Is he in bed as well?"

"Yes, M.J, go wake your brother up for me." J.D asks me. I nod and go down the hall, and go up the stairs, into Pat's room.

Pat painted the walls gray with red zig zags. Posters and pictures of different things, women in bikini's, cars, some paintings that J.D made, and photos of our family. The one on his dresser had Dad, J.D, Pat, and Mom. It was before I was born, they were in the living room of our old house in St. Louis. Mom had her hand on her swollen belly, over me. J.D told me that it was taken almost ten hours before I was born. Dad was sitting next to her, holding her hand, over her belly, smiling coolly. J.D was sitting next to Mom, sticking her tongue out at Aunt Gracie who was taking the picture. Patrick was smiling showing off his two buck teeth. I smiled and wished I remembered times with my mother like J.D and Patrick had.

I went over to Patrick's bed and shook him.

"What the hell?" he moans.

"People from the state are here. You need to wake up and get dressed."

"What the hell? Two-bit said that he wasn't going to charge me!" he nearly shouted jumping off his bed, only in his jeans.

"What do you mean?" I ask him. He turns to me.

"Isn't that what they're here for?" he asks.

"I think it's just a checkup." I say confused.

"Thank God." He whispers to himself.

"Why would Two-Bit charge you?" I ask him.

"Forget about it kiddo." He says slipping on a shirt.

"But!"

"I said forget about it Mike!" he shouts. I sit on the bed, looking at the carpet. It had cigarette burns in it.

"Ah, damn, Mikey." He says coming over to me. I look away from him, brushing the tears away from my eyes.

"Kiddo, look. Yes I got hauled in last night. But I ain't a bad guy. I just…"

"Got bad luck." I finish for him.

"Yeah, things haven't been the same since Dad dyed have they?" he asks.

"No, they haven't." I whisper.

"It'll get better Mikey. I promise." He says putting his arm around me.

"You always say that." I say shrugging off his arm.

"Say what Mike?" he asks confused.

"'I promise' 'I'll make it up to you' you always say that put you never mean it." I say getting of the bed. I start for the door until Patrick picks me up.

"Hey!" I exclaim. He throws me on the bed and stands in front of me.

"Okay, listen. How about this weekend I convince J.D to let me take you to the movies and then to the pizza place?" He says sticking his hand out. "Deal?"

I sigh and shake his hand.

"Deal."

**Your reviews give me ideas and help me with the story! So please Review! **


	5. News about Past Loves

Chapter 5

J.D's POV

After the people from the state left, I nearly collapsed into the recliner. I have been sick with a bad cold for the past week, and I can barely keep myself awake at work. Mikey was playing with his Legos™, and Patrick was mowing the lawn as part of his punishment. I curled up on the couch and adjusted the bag of ice on my back. I turn on the TV and watch The Brady Bunch. I close my eyes and start to nod off as I hear the sound of the most annoying thing known to man.

"HEY, HEY, HEY!"

Cola.

I groan and look up to see Coke-A-Cola Curtis coming into the living room with none other than Kevin Matthews sporting his new mountain man beard. I shake my head and try to hide under my blanket.

"Oh, Johnny Dallas! Where are you?" Cola shouts.

"Ollie Ollie Oxen Free!" Kevin shouts.

"J.D isn't home, leave a message." I say. They come over to me and Cola lay on legs.

"What do you want?" I groan, lying on my back.

"We got some news that we thought that you would want to hear about." Kevin says sitting next to me, putting his arm on my shoulders.

"And what would that be?" I ask annoyed. I really don't care what they are going to tell me, I'll just listen and then kick them out.

"Eric is coming back."

I jump up.

"What?" I ask.

"Eric called me last night. He's coming back for Steve's birthday." Kevin says.

"Did, did he ask about me?" I ask feeling like a giddy teenager.

"Maybe." Kevin says stretching out the word.

"Kevin, I am not in the mood for this. Did Eric ask about me?" I say standing up.

"Yeah, he asked how you were doing." Kevin says. I sit down in defeat.

After my Dad died, I and Eric drifted apart. We got into fights, didn't call each other, and then he left. I called him, tried to find him, but it was like he disappeared off the plant. He called me about a month after he left and told me that we needed time apart. We called the engagement off, and went our separate ways. No one talked about Eric when I was around, not even his name.

"He said that he missed you too, that he couldn't wait to see you." Cola says.

"You can't lie to save your life Cola." I say sadly.

"I told you that we shouldn't have told her." Kevin says.

"She deserved to know!" Cola said.

"Look at her! She's devastated!" Kevin cries.

"Still in the room!" I say holding my hands up.

"Sorry." They both say.

It was silent for a while, until Cola broke it.

"How have my cousins been?"

"If you must know, Patrick got hauled in last night, and I just got a letter from the school that Mike is, and I quote 'Socially Impaired'"

"What the heck does 'Socially Impaired' mean" Kevin asks.

"It means that he doesn't talk to the other kids. That he doesn't have any friends, except books." I say putting my head in Cola's lap.

"Why can't they just be normal?" I ask myself. Cola and Kevin laugh.

"Cause then they wouldn't be Curtis's" Kevin says.

Patrick walks in, his shirt tucked into his pocket, sweating gleaming off his chest.

"Look out Sexy!" Kevin says.

"You know it." Pat says. I roll my eyes.

"Take a shower then start cleaning the kitchen." I say.

"Can't I take a break? I've been doing lawn work for three hours!" he complains.

"A short break, after your shower. You stink kid." I say.

"Thanks sissy." He says going up-stairs.

"You going to Darry's tonight for dinner?"

Crap, dinner. Aunt Lizzy had a family dinner for everyone on Friday night. Always a homemade dinner, everyone there. It was an insult to Lizzy if we missed it.

"Yeah, we're going. What about you guys?"

"Yes! Our dads will kill us if we miss it!" Kevin says.

"Is Shay going to be there?"

Shay was living up in Oklahoma City for the past year, working as a sports journalist.

"Yeah, him and his dog of a girlfriend Debbie." Kevin says digging in the frig.

"Be nice! She's sweet!" I say.

Debbie wasn't the prettiest of girls, but she wasn't that bad.

"Whatever. See you tonight." Cola says walking out the door.

**Please Review**


	6. Red Motorcycle

Chapter 6

Darry's POV

As me and Lizzy set up for dinner, I kept thinking about what Two-Bit had said to me. I can't believe that Patrick would pull a stunt like that! He was never a trouble maker, always a good kid. He never use to drink, fight, or skip school, that was until Ponyboy died. I shuddered at the memory of my baby brother dying right in front of me. I sigh and finish setting the table. Everyone should be here in a few minutes.

I went into the living room and turned on the Sooners. They were up by seven. As it went to commercial, I kicked back in my recliner, and looked around the house that I and my brothers grew up in. There was still that burn mark on the wall from the time Soda and Steve thought that it would be a great idea to test out their homemade firecrackers in the living room. They almost set the house on fire, not to mention that Ponyboy got hurt trying to help put out the fire. Soda and Steve were about fourteen then. Pictures of mine, Pony's, and Shay's high school graduation hung on the walls. One picture of all the kids standing next to the motorcycle that Eric bought and fixed it up. He and J.D were gone for hours on that thing.

A picture of Cola, J.D, and Shayne playing on the trampoline. The picture was taken right after Pony moved back. They were all being goofballs and thought that they should go out and play on the trampoline. The picture had Johnny Dallas in mid-air, Cola and Shay on their backs, laughing. They didn't know that they were getting their picture taken, so it was one of their best pictures together. They looked like kids, not having to worry about anything in this world.

Another picture was one of Pony, Soda and me, sitting on the porch, smiling (at least Pony and Soda were, I don't smile that much in pictures) for our Mom who was taking the picture. It was about three years before they died, and things were good. Mom was staying home with us, and Dad was working for a local contractor. I was the star quarterback and receiving scholarships. Soda was the class clown and everyone's best friend, and Ponyboy was making good grades.

"Hey! Anybody home?" Soda called into the house. I smiled and got out of my chair.

"Hey Soda, what's up man?" I ask him giving him a half-hug.

"Not much, just damn bills and work. I tell ya, that Grey lady is one pain in my…."

"Hey Darry!" Rachel says coming over to hug me.

"Hey Rach, where's that kid of yours?" I ask them.

"Cola and Kevin called and said that they would ride up together. Steve get here yet?" Soda asks me.

"Nope, just you guys so far." I say going into the living room and watch football."

"What's the score?" Soda asks sitting down next to me.

"21-14 Sooners." I say not taking my eyes off the screen.

After a while, Two-Bit and Rhonda came in, carrying a 12 pack and a bag of chips. Two-Bit starting watching the game with us while the girls went to talk in the kitchen. Steve came in wearing his leather jacket and sat down with us. Everyone sat in silence as we watched the game. Then, the running back started sprinting towards the goal line.

"Go, go, go, go!" We all started screaming. Then out of nowhere, some damn player tackles him.

"What the hell?" I yell.

"Where the hell did he come from?" Soda asks.

"Where did who come from?" we all turned around to see Mikey standing there.

"Where did you come from kiddo?" I ask him.

"The front door. Patrick is helping J.D with something, but she said that she wasn't going to stay." He said sitting down on the floor.

"What?" I ask heading outside.

Patrick and J.D were arguing, J.D trying to get back in the car, Pat holding her arm so she couldn't.

"Patrick, let go of me! I'm going to work! Stay here with Darry and I'll pick you and Mikey up after I get off."

"Stop making excuses. You got your shift changed only because you knew that Eric was coming. You need to talk to him!"

"Patrick, let go!"

"What is going on?" I ask coming to them.

"Nothing Uncle Darry, I got it." She says.

"J.D won't stay because she knows that Eric is coming for Steve's birthday, and she doesn't want to see him." Patrick says.

"J.D, I know that you don't want to deal with Eric right now but…."

I was interrupted by the sound of a loud and powerful motorcycle engine. I turned to see a man riding a red Harley Davidson™ wearing a black helmet. His leather jacket was tight around him, making him seem untouchable. The man removed his helmet and turned to us.

"Hey guys." He said dismounting the motorcycle.

"Hey Eric."

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	7. Not Wanting to Get Hurt

**Sorry for the wait. I do not make any money off of this story. **

Chapter 7

J.D's POV

Darry and Patrick left me and Eric outside staring at each other. In my cocktail skirt, I was freezing, trying to huddle into my jacket. Eric didn't know what to say, he just kept looking at me like I was the only thing that was ahead of him. I started shivering, and began to bounce on my heels.

"Um…. I need to get to work." I say getting into my car again.

"J.D, wait!" Eric says. He jumps into the car, looking at me again. I sigh and put my head on the steering wheel.

"Eric, look, I can't…"

"I'm sorry." He blurts out. I turn to him.

"What?"

"I'm sorry, alright. I should never have ran out like that. I should have stayed and tried to work things out. I was scared. I didn't know what to do, I was an idiot. After your Dad died…."

"Don't bring him into this! You left because you wanted to! So don't you dare bring my father into this!" I yell at him.

"J.D, I wanted to work things out. I wanted to help you with Patrick and Mike. You know that I love them like they were like my own…."

"You have no idea what you are talking about! If you really cared about us you would have stayed! Do you know how hard it is to raise a teenage and a kid who talks to himself? You have no idea what love is!

"Patrick got hauled in the other night! Did you know that? For public drinking! Where were you during that? Huh? Sleeping with some dime store hooker! You said that you loved me! You said that you wanted to be with me when we were 80! Do you remember that? That we could make it in this world! That we would leave this place behind us and raise a family, and build a house, and that you would never leave me! That you loved me! How could you…."

Eric grabbed me by the back of the neck and kissed me. It was like the kisses that we had when we were kids. His tongue tasted the same way he did the first time we kissed, mint gum and nicotine. He was still smoking. I felt hot tears rolling down my face as I pushed him away.

Eric looked at me for a minute. He looked like he wanted more again. Like before he left. When we use to spend the night together, held each other in our arms, him kissing me so gently like he was afraid I would break. To tell the truth, he was breaking me. Breaking me into a million tiny pieces, shattering my love for him and for what we use to have.

"Get out." I whisper.

"J.D…."Eric tries.

"GET OUT!" I scream. Eric sighs and gets out of the car.

I put my head down again, crying into my hands.

I still love him.

Eric's POV

J.D, my J.D was gone. I ruined her in every way possible. I sighed and shook my head. I would never be able to make this up to her. I zipped up my jacket and went into Darry's house. Everyone was looking out the window, watching J.D, or waiting at the table.

"Hey, everyone." I say weakly.

"Hey Eric, how's it been?" Soda asks me.

"Fine, where's the birthday boy?"

"Over here." I turned around to see Dad standing there, his DX cap around his head. He was looking older, not old, just older. He looked happy.

"Hey Dad, happy birthday." I say going over to him.

"Thank you, son." He hugs me.

"How have you been?" I ask him. "How's the garage?" He and Soda owned a car shop that was the best in town.

"As good as it was when you left. I need to talk to you later." He said clapping me on the back.

"Can we start eating? I'm starving!" he says loudly.

"Yes! Everyone, gather around to pray." Lizzy says taking Darry's hand. We all take someone's hand and circle around the table. I was holding Dad's and Mikey's hand. M.J looked up at me and smiled.

"I missed you Eric." He says quietly while Darry prays.

"I missed you too kiddo." I say squeezing his hand.

"Amen." Darry finishes.

"Amen." Everyone repeats. Darry rubs his hands together and smiles.

"Dig in everyone. Just because its Steve's birthday, doesn't mean he gets to go first."

"Thanks Darry, I can feel the love." Dad says sarcastically.

"Just kidding man. Happy birthday!" Darry says clapping him on the back.

We all fill our plates and sit in the living room. Well at least the men do, the girls go sit in the table. I missed all of this. The family dinners, watching football together, screaming at the TV because the people playing football did something stupid, my family.

J.D's POV

I got to the bar and went to work. I did the normal routine. Smile at the guys, flirt a little bit for extra tips, report anyone drinking too much, and making sure that the peace was kept. Another girl that worked here, Rose, was looking out for me, and she could see that I wasn't up to par tonight.

"Johnny, what is with you tonight? You keep zooning out. Are you alright?" she asks taking me into the back room getting me a beer out of the cooler.

"Eric came back tonight." I said. She turned back and rushed over to the couch that I was lying on.

"Oh, honey, you should have called." She says putting my head in her lap.

"He said that he was sorry." I say rubbing my face. "Do you think he really means it?"

Rose sighs, and runs her fingers through her black hair. "I don't know Johnny. Some men say their sorry when they don't mean it and they hurt you worse, and some men say they're sorry when they do mean it and we are to stubborn to listen. Now, are you willing to get hurt again?"

"I don't want to talk about this right now. What am I suppose to do?" I ask looking up at her.

Rose sighs again and pulls out a bottle of hard liquor out of her pocket. "Let's go back to my place, you can curl up on my bed and I'll watch your baby boy."

"I'm going to lose him. I'm going to lose both of them." I say almost to myself.

"No you're not. Just go get in my car, I'll tell the girls that they got to finish out the night. And I'll call your house and tell Michael to get ready."

"They're both with Darry, at his house." I mumble.

"Then I'll call there." She says with finality.

I get up and wrap my coat around me. Running out to the car and nearly tripping over the pothole that was right next to Rose's car. I turned on the heater and started to warm up. Rose got in and drove us to Darry's house.

Rose had been my best friend since I started working at the bar. She lived in the rougher side of town, but she was sweet. She had chocolate mocha skin with dark curls. She had been there for me when Eric left me, and she was there for me when I had to drop out of college. She was a good friend.

Rose came out with Mikey who was carrying a plastic bag of his overnight things. He spent the night with Darry so many times that Dad's and Soda's old room had become his. M.J got in the car and gave me a hug.

"I'm sorry that Eric is a bastard." He says.

"Michael! You don't say that!" I exclaim giving him a light smack on the cheek.

"Well he is!" he says.

"Are we going to stay with Rosie?" he asks me happily.

"Yeah, baby, were staying with Rose."

"Good, what about Patrick?" Mike asks me.

"He'll stay with Darry or go back to the house." I say. Pat did what he wanted to.

"Alright." He says putting on his seatbelt. Rose got back in the car and lit up.

"Next stop, Auntie Rosie's House!" Rose says speeding off.

I hate driving with Rose.


	8. Not Alright

**Alright everyone, I don't want to sound naggy, but I need some more reviews! This story is my baby, and it needs food to grow, unless you hate babies, give this baby some FOOD! Thank you for the reviews that you all already give me, I am most grateful. **

Chapter 8

Pat's POV

You know when you're a little kid, and you have a bad dream? Your dad comes in and calms you down, tells you a story to get you back to sleep. After a while, he falls asleep next to you, and when you wake up, you wonder what happen, and then you remember. I was feeling that confusion as I watched Eric sit there next to Soda, acting as if he never hurt my sister. I remember what they said and what he did to her. How dare he even be here with us, let alone try to talk to her. He didn't deserve my sister, all he did was take advantage of her…..

"_Why are you doing this? You make me sick Eric!" _

"_Well you make me sick too!" _

_The sound of something shattering against the wall could have awakened the dead. There was more shouting. Screams of 'What happened to us having our own kids?' and 'How the hell are we going to pay the bills?" rang through the house. I felt Mikey tremble under my arm. Mikey had come up into my room after J.D and Eric woke him up with their screaming. Ever since J.D got custody for us all they did was fight. About us, money, their so called 'sex life', Eric's no-so-steady job. They had fought before, but only when we weren't home, they had never done this before._

"_Why are they acting like this? They never did before Dad d-died" M.J whispers. I pull him closer._

"_I don't know. J.D misses Dad and Eric misses J.D. It'll get better." I say to him gently. _

"_Just get out! Just get the hell out!" J.D screams. _

"_Forget this I don't need this!" Eric slams the door and leaves. J.D sobs echo the house. _

Eric looks at me, and that bastard smiles.

"How's it been Pat?"

That tears it!

I pounced on him and threw him on the floor. I had more muscle on me than he did so I could hold him down easily. I whammed my fist into his nose, then into him mouth. Blood was starting to leak out from his nose. I hit him I don't know how many times before Darry and Soda pulled me off of him.

"Fucking bastard!" I scream. Eric was barely awake anymore. Steve and Two-Bit kneel down beside Eric checking on him. His face was covered in blood; it was starting to stain the carpet. Eric's nose was bent at a weird angle, and his eye was starting to swell.

"You're the reason that J.D is so damn miserable. You're the reason that she has to work 12 hour shifts just so that we can keep our house!" I scream.

"Patrick! Cool it kiddo, just cool it." Soda says as he and Darry drag me outside. They hold me back from Eric so that I don't kill him.

"Patrick! Stop it!" Darry says as I fight them as they pull me outside. I keep fighting and struggling as they pull me outside. They sit me on the porch swing trying to get me to calm down. Thank God that Rose took him before all this.

I feel like I can't breathe. The air that was in my lungs just turned to ice, making the world seem hazy. I can't hear Soda or Darry anymore; I only can see and hear the images that were running through my head.

Mom lying in her casket.

Mikey riding his bike without training wheels.

J.D holding me as I cried at Dad's funeral.

Dad dying right before me, fighting to breathe.

Eric lying beneath me, bleeding.

Dad, J.D, Mom, Mikey, Darry, Soda, Cola, Dad….

Soda's POV

Pat was hyperventilating. More than that, he was in shock. His eyes rolled up inside his head, he couldn't breathe. Darry gently slapped his face, trying to snap him out of it. He put his head between his legs, but it didn't help.

"Pat, kiddo, breathe, you have to relax and breathe. Damn it, Lizzy I need your help!"

Lizzy comes out to us, her shirt smeared with some of Eric's blood. She looks at Patrick and gasps.

"Lay him down on the ground." She commands. Lizzy had been a nurse for almost 20 years, and boy was she good. She checks his pulse and feels his neck and cheeks.

"He's going into shock." She says bluntly. She leans down to his level and whispers in his ear.

"Pat, sweetie, you need to breathe, just breathe. Breathe with me, Pat."

But it didn't help. Patrick tried to get air into his lungs, but it wasn't working. Lizzy sighed and looked at Darry.

"Go get me an ice pack. And check on Eric." Darry goes. Pat was starting to sweat, and was looking sickly pale.

"What caused this?" I ask her.

"Stress, most likely." She says as she loosens up Pat's jacket.

Darry came back and gave the ice pack to Lizzy. She dabbed Pat's face and neck with it. Pat started to get his breathing back under control.

"There you go baby. Just relax and breathe, there we are." She says helping him sit up. Pat groans and holds his head.

"Soda, help him into Mikey's room. He'll want some sleep." She says. I nod and put my arm under his shoulder. I lead him into the house as everyone stars at me. Eric was holding a bag of peas over his lip looking at Pat concerned.

"Is he alright?" he asks. I shake my head

"No, he's not."

**Please Review. **


	9. Just Like Him

Chapter 9

J.D's POV

After I woke up at Rose's place I began to feel the effects of the liquor that she gave me. I groaned and rubbed my temples. Rose left me a bottle of aspirin just for this occasion. I smiled a bit and opened the bottle. I swallowed two of them dry and got up dizzily. I walked out of the room and looked out into the hallway. Rose was with Mikey in the kitchen making Mikey-Mouse pancakes and orange juice.

I smiled at them and watched them as they talked and played. Rose was one of the few people that could get Mikey to talk without having asked him a question first. Mikey was an open book when it came to Rosie. She could get him to act like an 8 year old for once. That's part of the reason that she was their unspoken Godmother.

"And then, and, and, then, Eric said that he miss me too! Do you think that he and J.D would get back together?" he asks her, his hands in the air with excitement. Rose saw me out of the corner of her eye and winked.

"Maybe sweetie, it depends." She says making him a plate of their blueberry Mikey-Mouse pancakes.

"Depends on what Aunt Rose?" he asks her putting his tiny elbows on the table.

"Why don't you ask your sister?" she says handing him the plate. I walk in and rub the back of his head.

"Morning M.J, Rosie." I say pulling up a chair. Rose hands me a plate and sits down at the table with us.

"How's your head?" she teases me as I eat the delicious food.

"Better than I thought it would be." I say smartly. She smirks and rolls her eyes.

"Smartass." She says.

"Ass is a bad word." Mikey says quietly. I gave him a light slap on the hand

"Don't curse." I say taking another bite of my pancake.

We finished eating and watched TV for a little while. After about three hours me and Mikey had to leave. Rose drove us to the bar and me and my baby brother drove home holding hands. We got home and saw that Pat was there. Patrick was watching TV in the living room eating cereal on the couch. He was looking a little pale, and was kinda quite.

"One, you are still grounded, two, you know better than to be eating on the furniture, and three you look at little of. Are you sick?" I ask him feeling his forehead. He was clammy. I saw that his knuckles were wrapped up.

"What the hell happened Patrick?" I asked him frightened. He sighs and rolls his eyes, but not in the disrespectful way, the please don't do that kind. When I unwrapped his bandages, his knuckles gave away that he had hit someone, hard.

"Patrick Darrell, were you in a fight last night?" I ask him astonished. "What happened?"

Patrick stayed silent.

"Answer me Patrick. I'm worried about you. So worried. You have never behaved this way before, picking fights, getting drunk, getting arrested! My Lord Patrick, tell me what I should I do! Do you want to be taken away?" I didn't realize that I was screaming.

"I punched out your old boyfriend." He says quietly. I drop the bandages that I was holding and gasp.

"Y-Y-You did what?" I say shocked.

"Do you have a have a hearing problem? I beat up Eric, hit him, made his face mincemeat!" he yells at me shooting up running into his room.

"Why did Patrick beat up Eric?" Mikey says quietly.

"Because he's stupid, impulsive, reckless, and….and…. he's HE's…"

"Just like Eric?" Mikey says quietly. I take a deep breath.

"Yeah, like Eric." I whisper.

Eric's POV

When I woke up the next morning I saw Pat's handiwork. My nose was swollen, along with my eye, bruises made me look like a raccoon, the black dots making circles around my eyes. I had to admit, that kid could pack a punch. I deserved it anyway. With the way I left J.D

I reached into my pocket and pulled out the small, silver and diamond wedding band that was once Connie Curtis's. During the fight that made me leave, J.D threw the ring at me, not really thinking. She told me to get out and to take the ring with me. I kept it with me even since then. I ran my fingertips over the gems that sparkled in the light of the bathroom. The ring was engraved with something that at the time, made sense. It was a joke that I and J.D thought was so funny, so we got it put on the ring. It said "Wow…. We got married Mad!" I snickered at our stupid joke that we made up when we were in high school…..

"_Okay, so when someone gets married, and like they were completely wasted when they did it, what would be the first thing the groom would say?" J.D asks me. We were supposed to be reading in study hall, but we had a substitute and had nothing to lose. _

"_Um….. Did he marry a man or a woman?" I ask._

"_Um…. A man!" she says. I thought for a few seconds because I wanted to make my answer better than hers would be to make her mad. _

"_Um…. Wow… We got married Man!" I say. _

_She starts laughing too hard that the sub comes over and yells at her. But she didn't care. After he left she wrote on her paper and handed it to me. _

_When you get married, you have to write that on your wife's wedding ring. - J.D_

_Alright, but what if it's you? - Eric R. _

_Then I'll put it on mine. - J.D_

_PROMISE?-Eric R. _

_Yes super-secret ultra-mega promise! - J.D_

_You're a dork. But I love you.-Eric R._

_I love you too- J.D Randle. _

Please Review. I thought that I should do a Twilight Cross over on a different story that I might do later in the future (Christmas Time?) Should i?

Also, thank you for the reviews. They make me smile.

Also, if you look on YouTube, there is a video called Wax on F*ck off. It's a parody with Ralph Macho. But it's for mature people. It you can stand cursing, watch it. It's pretty funny.


	10. Talking to a Picture

Chapter 10

Mikey's POV

After J.D and Eric got in their fight, I went to my room. I hate it when they fight. They use to be happy and they use to act like they loved each other. My room was across where my Dad's was. It was blue and my Dad and J.D had painted the night sky on the celling. I laid down on my bed and grabbed my favorite blanket. I picked up my copy of Lord of The Rings. I was at the part where Gandalf had fallen. Frodo was so sad. I sighed and kept on reading. I finally finished at the part where Boromir died. Why do all the good guys have to die?

I snuggled into my blanket and grabbed the picture of me and my Dad at the park. He was pushing me on the swing. I looked really happy. I hid under my blanket with my picture and looked at my Dad.

"Hi, Daddy. I miss you, a lot. J.D and Patrick are fighting again. Patrick beat up Eric. Eric was trying to get back together with J.D and Patrick got mad. At least that's what Auntie Rosie told me. Me and J.D stayed with Rose last night. She made us pancakes and orange juice. Uncle Darry and Uncle Soda are doing really good. They still miss you though. Cola and Kevin are living up in the city. They're doing really good. Cola told me that he and Kevin are going to collage at the university. They're going to be teachers. Shay's girlfriend is still….um Debby. She's really nice to me though. She got me a toy airplane for my birthday. Shay's a reporter for football now. He really likes it. He took me to his workplace. It's really big and it has a lot of people in it.

I'm not doing too good in school. My teacher says that I don't talk to anyone besides myself. She's says that I need to 'interact' more with the other kids. But they're mean to me! They make fun of you and J.D and Pat. I hate it there! But I'm doing good in my subjects. Especially writing. Mrs. Kenly said that I write like I was a lot older that I really am. I like writing, Dad, I'm good at it. When she finishes grading them, I'll read you the story I wrote. It's about the time that you took me fishing. There's even a picture with it! I'm kinda sleepy now, so I got to go. I love you Daddy."

I came out from my blanket and saw that the clock on my bed said 6:30. I didn't know that I talked to Dad that long. I closed my eyes and went to sleep.

J.D's POV

I sat outside M.J's room, hugging my knees. I ran my fingers through my hair and felt the tears fall down my cheeks as I listened to my baby brother talk to our dead Daddy. I smiled when Mikey told 'Dad' about Debby. But I cried when he said that the kids were made fun of him. He was just a little kid. He didn't deserve that.

At about 6:35 Mikey must have gone to sleep. The phone rang and made me jump. I sighed and ran to get the phone.

"Hello?"

Silence.

"Hello?"

"_J.D, it's me." _

Eric

"Why are you calling?" I ask softly.

"_I was going to call sooner, but let's just say that you're kid brother has got a hell of a punch."_ He says trying to get me to laugh.

"I know, I heard." I say sitting on the couch.

"_I know that I said that I was sorry, and I meant it. But I know that that alone isn't enough. Please let me do something to make this right. Anything, please Johnny. You know that I love you." _

"Eric, I love you too, and I probably will never be able to stop loving you, but you hurt me, and my _brothers, and I can never forgive you for that." _

"_J.D…" _

"Bye Eric."

I hang-up the phone and put it back on the kitchen counter. I didn't cry, I was all cried out.

I feel asleep watching TV and saw that it was six thirty. It was only Sunday, so we had a whole day until school started. Pat came down the stairs and looked at me funny. His knuckles were swollen.

"You slept on the couch?" he asked.

"I guess so." I say stretching.

"Hey, can I take Mikey out for the day?" he asks.

"Since when do you take M.J out for the day?" I ask getting the milk out for cereal.

"Since the other day. Let me take him out, he wants to go something with me." He says sitting at the table.

"Alright, just make sure that you guys get home by eight." I say making my cereal.

"Thanks J.D. I'll go wake him up and tell him."

I smile and watch him go up the stairs. Patrick and Mikey going out for the day, oh what, oh what should I do?

**Please Review. **


	11. Vanishing

**Thank you for the reviews! To answer mon's questions…..**

**Eric never went to college. He and J.D got together in high school and have been with each other ever since. Cola and Kevin wanted to be teachers. Eric wanted to work as a carpenter since he was good in woodshop in school. **

**Eric promised J.D that he would help her raise her brothers and that they would get married. That's why she's defensive with him. I didn't mean for her to come off as annoying. .**

**Before Ponyboy died Eric worked with Darry and his company. Eric quit after he left and was making money from odd jobs and poker. **

**To answer anonymous's question…..**

**Yes, you will see interaction between Steve and Eric. **

**I do not own The Outsiders, nor do I make any money off this. **

Chapter 11

J.D's POV

I decided that going grocery shopping was the best way to spend the day. I drove up to the store and thought about what I said to Eric. I didn't want to lose him, but I didn't want to go through that again. We were happy, but then Dad died and I know that if that never had happened, we would probably be living together, if not already married. I needed to clear my head.

The cart was half full when I was going down an aisle then; I bumped into a familiar face.

"Adam Shepard?" I ask. Adam looks at me and smiles.

"J.D? How have you been?" he asks.

Adam's been gone for four years. He went into the army right out of high school and had been sent to the Middle East. Last I had heard of Adam was that he was living in Kansas.

"I've been alright. How about you?" I ask him. I can't believe that it's been four years! He graduated with Cola Kevin and Eric, so he was only about a year older than me.

"I'm fine, just came down here to see Tim." He says. I caught him looking at my chest.

"That's great. I heard that you got married!" I say hoping that will snap him back to reality.

"Yep, got a daughter too. I have a picture right here…." He says pulling out his wallet.

The picture showed a baby girl waving a fat fist at the camera, her black curls swooping under her ears.

"She's beautiful, Adam." I say.

"She's the spitting image of her mother." He says putting back his wallet. "I heard that your Dad passed away. Sorry to hear about that." He says with sympathy.

"It's alright. Me and the boys are doing fine." I say.

"How's Eric? Last I checked you two were the class couple." He says.

"We're not together anymore." I say quietly.

"I'm sorry to hear about that too. Tell you what? Let me take you out to lunch so we can catch up?" he says.

"I'd like that." I say.

"Good, just finish up and I'll pick you up at your house around 1:30. You still live where you use too?" he asks.

"Yes." I say.

"See you then!" he says going away. I smile and go back to finding some cereal that the boys would like.

Pat's POV

Me and Pat were sitting at the bus stop. I promised him that we could go the zoo, and then we could go get something to eat. I tapped my foot impatiently, wanting the bus to get here. I looked at Mikey. HE was reading a book, not paying attention to anything. I smirked and shook my head, regular genius.

I looked at my watch and rolled my eyes. 10 more minutes. I hate waiting.

"Yo, Curtis!"

I turned around to see Jacob Anderson, Hayes Holden, and Greg Foote. I was hanging with them the night Two-Bit hauled me in. Jacob was in my class, long and gangly. He had curly hair with dark green eyes. Hayes was short with golden wheat hair, muscular and smart. Greg was an idiot with a dumb-ass smirk to match.

They waved me over, Anderson holding a paper sack in his hands. I looked at Mikey and saw that he wasn't paying attention. I got up and went over to them.

"What's happening man?" Holden says as he shakes my hand.

"Nothing much. Got hauled in." I say. They laugh.

"Heard about that, sorry man, I was too drunk to be paying attention. Never trust me when I'm drunk."

"Dude, I learned my lesson. Remember that time you got drunk with me at the park?"

"And I called the cops on us?" he laughs. We nearly fall over from laughing. We talk awhile longer until I hear the sound of a bus pulling away. I look at the bench Mikey was sitting on. He was gone! I ran over to the old lady that was sitting next to him.

"Excuse me, have you seem a little kid with dark hair and one blue and one green eye?" I ask her.

"Yes, he got on the bus. Such a sweet little boy." She says going back to her newspaper.

"Damnit Mikey." I say.

**I know it was short, but it was needed to start off a big chain of big chapters. Reviews would be loved and also should I do a Twilight cross-over with Outsiders? **


	12. The First Hour

Chapter 12

Pat's POV

"Did he say anything?" I ask the old lady who was sitting next to Mikey.

"No, he just saw that bus and got on." She says impatiently.

"Are you sure?" I say.

"Yes! Now leave me be!" she snaps.

I groan and run over to the payphone. I reach into my pocket and put 50 cents in.

"Come on, pick up!" I say.

"_Curtis Contractors, how may I help you?" _

"Darrell Curtis please." I say franticly.

"_I'm sorry, to who is this?"_ the woman on the phone asks.

"His nephew, Patrick." I say tapping my foot

"_And to what is this regarding?"_ she asks. Could you ask more questions?

"Family emergency."

"_Alright, I'll connect you." She says sweetly._

"Finally." I mutter. I wait another minute and finally he answers.

"_Darrell Curtis."_

"Uncle Darry! I need some help." I nearly yell.

"_Patrick? What are you talking about? Where are you?"_ he asks.

"I'm at Rose St., at the bus stop. Mikey's gone and the bus he got on wasn't ours. I don't know where he went." I say.

"_Did you see what bus number it was?"_ he asks.

"No, I didn't look. God, I'm so stupid." I say running my hand through my hair.

"_Stay right there, I'll be there in a minute."_ He says and hangs up.

"Mike where are you?" I say quietly.

J.D's POV

Not even 10 seconds after I got inside the house, the phone rang. I sighed and put the groceries on the table and grabbed the phone.

"Hello?"

"J.D? It's Darry; you need to meet me at the bus stop on the corner of Rose. Mikey's gone." He Uncle Darry rushes in the phone.

"Wait, what, what's going on? Mikey's gone! He was with Patrick, what happened?" I put my head in my hands. Now I knew what Dad felt like when me and Eric went out on motorcycle rides and forgot to tell him.

"Mike got on the wrong bus when Pat wasn't looking. You need to get down here, I'm calling Eric and Soda to help look for him." He says.

"Alright, I'll be there soon." I say quietly. "Damn it Mikey."

"He'll be fine baby doll." He assures me.

"I know, I'll be there soon." I say hanging up the phone. I grabbed my keys, and raced outside to the car.

Eric's POV

Darry called me and told me that Mikey was missing. I knew that kids were adventurous, but Mikey wasn't like normal kids. He knows better to run off. Something must have happened. Someone must have taken him, or….. I didn't want to think what else could have happened. I slammed the car door shut and ran out to Darry.

"Have you heard anything?" I ask him. Just then J.D pulls up.

"Darry!" she runs over to him. He pulls her into a tight hug and sooths her.

"Has anything turned up?" she asks.

"No, it's almost been an hour. We need to call Two-Bit." He says. I nod and look at J.D. She looked scared and vulnerable. Patrick appeared from the bench he was on, hitched his thumbs in his pockets, and walked over to us.

"J.D, I only took my eyes off him for a minute. When I looked back he was gone." He says. J.D hugs him.

"I'm not mad. You're not in trouble, just tell me, is there anything that he said, or….."

"Nothing, he just vanished." He says quietly.

"We'll find him." I say to them. They look up at me. Patrick looks down and sighs. J.D comes over to me, looking right into my eyes.

"Eric, I'm…"

"Me too" I say.

"I've been dumb." She says.

"I've been dumber." I say.

Two-Bit pulls up in his cruiser with his partner. He comes over to us, holding a thing of papers in his hand.

"I put out a missing persons report. Local residents will be alerted to report him to officers. We'll find him Johnny, I promise." He says.

"It's been an hour, Two-Bit. If someone took him…"

"We'll find him." He says. She nods and wipes her eyes.

"Come on J.D, we'll go around town and see if we can find him." I tell J.D she nods.

"Let's go."

**Please Review. **

**This is will be the only chapter for a while. I'll be in Texas and without my laptop. **


	13. Flashes of Pain

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders. **

Chapter 13

Mikey's POV

I swung my legs waiting for the bus while reading my book. Patrick went over to his friends to talk to them for a while, which was fine with me. I saw the bus pulling up and figured that our bus was early. I went over to tell him, but something caught my arm. I turned to see a man holding onto my jacket.

"Wanna help me with something kid?" he rasps. I shrug him off me and start to run to Patrick.

"HEL-!"

The guy grabs me and covers my mouth before I can finish screaming for help. Patrick was about a good 15 feet away, with people in the way. Patrick couldn't see me. The man picks me up and drags me into the alley .Dropping the book, I start to fight him. I try to bite his hand, but he hits me over the head, hard. I feel blood running down the side of my head before my head hits the hard ground.

I wanted to scream for Patrick, J.D, Uncle Darry, even my Dad. But before I can the earth tilts. The last thing I saw was the guy tear down the alley.

Two-Bit's POV

Me and my partner split decided to divide and conquer to search for Mike. I can only hope that he wasn't taken, but by the looks of it, that was becoming a very high possibility. We tracked the bus that he might have gotten on; there was no sign of him. We searched every alley, every street, every dumpster for him. Mikey was a smart kid, if someone did take him, he would know to fight back. He would know to scream and kick and hit for all that he was worth. But he would know that he was in danger, and that he would need to be careful, and not to tick the guy off.

Mikey, kiddo, where are you?

Mikey's POV

My eyes fluttered open, blood was still on the side of my face. I got up, and realized that it was a mistake. My head exploded with pain, pain that I never knew existed. I fell back down holding my head. I clench my eyes shut, the light from the sun hurting my head. I made a little shade with my hand over my eyes. I stumbled over to where the bus was supposed to be. Instead there were this blinding flashing light, making me feel weak. I turn back into the alley. I pull my jacket close and start for the other side of the alley. I keep walking, feeling dizzy.

Where was I suppose to be? Me and Pat, wait, what where we suppose to do? Where's J.D? And Patrick? My head was pounding. I never thought that a person's head could hurt so bad. I felt tears slide down my cheeks. Where was I? I need to get home. What time was it? Oh…my head. I looked at the street sign.

Jackson St. Didn't Auntie Rose live here? Yeah, I think she did! I walked down the street, holding my head. Aunt Rose could give me a ride home.

J.D's POV

"Eric, it's been three hours!"

"We'll find him, J.D." he says as we search the park.

We had looked at the park, the zoo, the Ribbon. It was like he vanished. We went by the bar where Rose was working tonight. She came with us, after telling Buck. He knew my Dad, and he thought that it was tuff that he named me after Dallas, so he gave me a job.

Rose went to look with Darry and Cola, and they hadn't called us yet. Mikey was nowhere to be found.

I rubbed my face hard, trying to shake the tears. A small sob escaped my lips, before I could stop it. Eric turned to me and wrapped an arm around me.

"We'll find him."

I was starting to worry that we wouldn't.

"I need to call social services." I mutter.

"What, J.D, don't do that. They'll take them away from you!" he says holding me close.

"It's been three hours. I have to call them."

I knew that calling them could end our dream of staying together. But, me and Eric both knew that if the CPS found out that we hadn't called them after three hours of Mikey being missing, I would never see them again.

Mikey's POV

Aunt Rose always kept a key under the floor pot for safe keeping. I walked into the house and looked around.

"Aunt Rose! Rosie!" I call.

My head flashes with pain again and I stumble to Rosie bed. I don't even bother to take my shoes off, or my jacket. I saw a flash of me in the mirror. Blood caked my hair and some was running down my head. I knew I should call someone, like 9-1-1, but I was too sleepy.

**Please Review. **


	14. What You Can Find at Rose's

**I do not own the Outsiders. **

Chapter 14

Patrick's POV

J.D wanted me go home after she called CPS. She looked like hell. Her eyes were bloodshot from crying and she was clinging to Eric every step she took. I was trying to not look at them, I still hated Eric, and I didn't want to see the look in J.D's eyes when she saw me. I knew, and she knew, that it was my fault. I should have been paying attention to Mikey. I shouldn't have gone over there. It was my entire fault.

"I'll call you if we find anything." She said as Eric pulled up to the house.

"Alright, see you later." I say.

"Bye Pat." Eric says solemnly. I don't even bother to say bye back. I wouldn't mean it if I did.

I walked up the driveway and pulled out a cigarette. I lit it and leaned against the house. I closed my eyes and let out a shaky breath. I've never felt this bad. Or this guilty. It was my fault.

I looked at the house and shook my head. I didn't want to go in. I couldn't, not after all this. I hate myself. How could I do this to my kid brother? How could I just let him disappear? I walked down the street, smoking my cigarette, thinking where I should go.

The Strip? No, too many people go there now, it's way too crowded. Bowling alley? No, it was filled with a bunch of drunks. Rosie's place? Yeah, why not. It's better than here.

J.D's POV

It was almost two in the morning. I was trying not to show how tired I was. One of our social workers was going to meet us at the house in the morning. She made it very clear on the phone that even if we did find Mikey, he and Patrick probably would get taken away. She said 'One who is in charge of two young children should be responsible enough for something like this _not_ to happen. If Michael is found, I will recommend that he and Patrick be placed in alternative care. Care that is appropriate for children in this situation.'

I rubbed my eyes and turned to the window. I looked at Eric. He was focusing on the road. He was looking tired, but wasn't showing it as much as I was. He took a deep breath and shook his head. He did that when we he got tired, ever since we were kids.

"How are you holding up?" he asks.

"I'm alright." I say sitting up more. Eric pats my knee gently.

"We need to stop for the night, J.D. We'll start again in the morning." He says gently. I shut my eyes tight and shook my head.

"No, you can go home, but I need to keep looking." I say.

"Babe…."

"Eric, don't. I need to find him. He's my brother Eric. It's my fau….."

Eric suddenly pulled the car over, and shut off the engine. He turned to me, took my hands, and stared right into my eyes.

"Don't, don't you ever say that. None of this is your fault. I don't ever want to hear you say that again. Alright?"

The way he looked at me, so serious, caring, intense, so…. Eric-like. It felt like I could surrender to him.

"Alright."

Patrick's POV

I walked the fifteen blocks to Rose's place. It was in the ghetto of town, but it was better looking than the other houses on the street. She kept a spare key under her flower pot, just for me when I need a place to cool down. Or to sleep off a night of partying.

I lifted up the pot, but the key wasn't there. I looked at the door, but it was slightly open. I slowly opened the door, and pulled out my knife that my Dad gave me when I was twelve. The house was dark, but I sensed that someone else was in the house. I peeked around the hallway, and saw that a little stain, rust colored.

Blood.

I moved slowly and silently into the living room, nothing was there. I moved down the hallway, knife out. I went into the bathroom next, nothing in there. The next room was Rose's room. It was wide open. And on the bed was my kid brother, bleeding from his head.

**Please Review. **


	15. No Longer Alone

**Sorry for the long update. Studying for school finals. UHH! **

Chapter 15

Mikey's POV

"MIKE! Mikey! Wa… Oh…God…Wake UP!"

Someone was shaking me. If they didn't stop, I was going to be sick. I blinked my eyes open, and saw Patrick. He was all fuzzy and blurry. Hehe, fuzzy like a bunny! I closed my eyes again, giggling to myself.

"Mikey….. You….Up…Come on kid…"

Patrick must have picked me up, cause I was moving now. He carried me like he did when I was little. Over his chest, arms under my legs. He held me with one arm, and I felt the room spinning again.

"Uhh…." I groan.

"Stay awake kiddo. You need to stay awake."

I felt his other arm moving, up and down, up and down.

"J.D? Eric, I need to talk to J.D! Whe- , whatever, I found Mike…. At Rose's…. He's bleeding bad….. From his head. He needs to go to a hospital….. Alright, hurry."

There was a_ clang_, and then Patrick put his arm under my leg again. He walked over to somewhere. I opened my eyes and saw that he sat on the couch, rocking me. It made my head hurt worse.

"Stop…"

"Sorry Mike. Does that hurt? What else hurts?" he asks me softly.

"Nothing really. I feel a little sick." I murmur.

"Just hang in there kid. J.D's coming, she's going to take you to the hospital." He says.

"Noooo….." I groan.

"It'll be okay kiddo, it'll be okay." He says.

Patrick laid me down on the couch, leaving me. NO! Pat come back! Don't leave me! Please!

He comes back, putting something against the back and side of my head. It hurts.

"Ow." I say softly.

"Sorry. I guess I really screwed up, huh, M.J?" he says. I open my eyes and look at my brother. He had tears in his eyes. I hadn't seen him cry since Dad's funeral.

"It's alright. It wasn't your fault." I say. The room was going way to fast.

"Yeah it was. I should have been with you, not with those idiots." He says rubbing the side of my head that wasn't hurt.

"It wasn't your fault." I say again. "My head!"

Patrick gently picks me up and pulls me into his lap. He doesn't rock me this time, just holds me close to him. It helped make the home stay still.

"PATRICK! MIKE!"

J.D was here.

"Mikey, oh God, baby. Pat give him to me. Get in the car. Mikey look at me baby." She says.

I try to look at her, she smiled at me and kissed my forehead.

"It's going to be alright M.J, just rest."

I feel asleep, not feeling alone this time.

**Please Review. **


	16. They Deserved Better

**I'm going to try to update at least once every two days. My Mom got home from deployment today to I am so happy! I do not own anything. **

Chapter 16

J.D's POV

I held Mikey in my lap as Eric speed toward to the hospital. I brushed the hair out of my eyes and held my jacket to the back of his head. Pat was sitting in the back, shaking. He was in shock. The only time that he disobeys me, and it turns out good. I looked at Eric; he was focusing on the road, trying to keep cool. You could see the anger in his eyes. The anger at whoever did this or whatever caused this.

Mikey would let out a groan or whimper if the car turned. He mumbled that he was dizzy, and that the car was spinning. He had tears streaming down his face; he said that he was scared that he would be alone. He was crying out for Dad. I kept brushing his hair out of his face.

I didn't know what to do. I never thought that something like this could happen. I never thought that I could lose a brother, especially not my baby brother. I wished that Dad was here, he would know what to do. He would never have let this happen. I have no idea what he was thinking when he gave me custody. Why didn't he pick Darry? Or Soda? Or even Aunt Gracie?

_The room had me, Eric, Darry, Lizzy, Soda, Rachael, and Gracie. Mr. Young had just come in, carrying his brief case, wearing a suit and tie. We had been waiting for ten minutes, bouncing on our heels. _

_Dad had died six days ago. His funeral was yesterday. We buried him here, with some of Mom's ashes in a jar in his hands. Patrick and Mikey were with Cola and Shay. They were taking them to the movies. _

_Eric took my hand and weakly smiled at me. He was being as supportive as he could. _

_Darry was sitting next to Soda and Lizzy. He looked tired. He probably didn't sleep last night. Aunt Lizzy held his hand tightly. _

_Soda's eyes were bloodshot. Aunt Rachael kissed his cheek, rubbing his shoulder. Soda was taking this hard. He knew that Dad was going to die someday, but he never thought it would be so soon. _

_Aunt Gracie was sitting next to me, holding my other hand. She just turned 29 last month and was here for the funeral. She knew that I needed her, and that the boys needed her too. _

"_I will now read that last Will and Testament of Ponyboy Michael Curtis."_

'_I, Ponyboy Michael Curtis, leave all my assets and savings to be dived among my three children, Johnny Dallas, Patrick Darrell, and Michael James. Patrick and Michael shall receive their inheritance when they turn 18. _

_Custody of my sons shall go to my daughter, Johnny Dallas.'_

"_Wait, what?" I interrupt the lawyer. _

"_It says right here, on the fourth line, 'Custody of my sons shall go to my daughter, Johnny Dallas'." He restates. _

_I nod for his to continue. _

'_If Johnny is unable, or unwilling to take custody, then custody shall be granted to Darrell Shayne Curtis Jr, his wife, Elizabeth. My eldest brother. If he is unable or unwilling to take custody, Sodapop Patrick Curtis and his wife Rachael.'_

"_So, it is up to you, Ms. Curtis. Would you like to take custody of your brothers? Or will one of your uncles take them?" _

The next words that I said changed my life forever.

I failed them both. He and Pat deserved better than this. They deserved a Mom and Dad, not a sister who works at a bar. They needed something like that. Darry or Soda would have been 10 times better at this then me. Darry has already done it before, and he said that he would take custody. So did Soda. They deserved to have a better life than the one I was giving them.

"We're here."

Eric pulled in by the emergency entrance. He saw that Mikey was out and called out to the people in the hospital.

"Hey! I got a kid who's bleeding!"

Five or six people in hospital uniforms rush out and see Mike. They pulled out a gurney and gently pulled M.J from my arms. They placed him on the gurney and rushed inside. Me, Patrick, and Eric just stood there, not knowing what was going to happen.

Just then a car pulled up, a state car.

**Please Review. **


	17. Locked Drawers

**I own nothing, S.E Hinton does. **

Chapter 17

Patrick's POV

I saw the state car pull up, with our social worker and another man in it. J.D turned around and saw them to. I knew that they were here for me and Mikey. I wasn't going to be taken to some state home, no way in hell.

J.D looked at me and mouthed 'Stay with Eric', and then turned to the state people. She took a deep breath, and walked over to them. J.D could be the toughest person in the world when she needed to be. Even Uncle Darry didn't mess with her when she was in her 'Tough Badass Mood'. The state lady was holding her brief case and a bunch of papers. J.D meets her in the middle of the sidewalk, hands on her hips.

"I have been informed that Michael has been found." She says in an uppity voice.

"That's correct." J.D says coldly.

Our social worker hands her the papers in her hands. "These are legal papers signed by a judge ordering the immediate termination of guardianship of Patrick and Michael Curtis. After Michael is released from the hospital, he and Patrick will be taken into state housing."

J.D looks through the papers, scanning them.

"As you will see, your court date for reinstate for guardianship will be in two weeks. That was the earliest court date I could get you." she says.

"My father's will states that my uncles would be the ones to take care of the boys if i was unable. Would Patrick and M.J be able to stay with them when Mikey is released?" she asks her.

"Yes, if they are willing. I suggest that you get yourself a lawyer, and a good one at that. Sherri Valance works in an office near city hall; she would be able to represent you."

J.D nods. "Thank you, Ms. Smith." She mutters.

They leave and J.D just stands there, reading over the papers. Me and Eric go over to her and check on her. She wasn't showing any emotion, just focusing on the papers. She looked up and thought for a second.

"We should go see how Mikey is doing." She says. She walks into the entrance and goes up to the front desk.

"I'm looking for the boy that was brought in here a few minutes ago." She says. The lady nods and looks at her books.

"Um…. They rushed him into the OR. I'll see what's happening." She says getting up.

She turns to me and Eric, looking forlorn.

"I guess I need to get ahold of this Valance woman." J.D says as she looks through the papers the social worker gave her.

"Valance, where have I heard that name before?" Eric questions. He sits down and taps his foot. "I know that I've heard that name before, I just don't know where."

"The Valance Twins!" J.D says snapping her finger and pointing at Eric.

"Oh, yeah! Those two idiots in our class that pulled all those pranks!" Eric says laughing.

J.D giggles a little, covering her mouth.

"You remember when they graffiti two breasts in the gym?" J.D asks.

"Yeah, they were the best guys you could ever meet." Eric says. Then they look a little sad.

Then I remember. The Valance twins were killed in a car crash a week before they graduated. J.D and Eric went to their funeral together. I was about 11 when it happened. Dad was knew their mom when they were kids, so he went to.

"I can't remember their mother's name, though, Cherry, something." J.D thinks.

The nurse comes back and is now carrying a cart.

"Well, I have the information on our little John Doe."

"His name is Michael, Michael Curtis. I'm his sister, Johnny Dallas."

"Now I remember you! You were Dr. Curtis's daughter!" the nurse laughs.

"Yeah, if you look through your files; Mikey's medical file should be in your records." J.D says.

The nurse nods and types into her computer.

"Anything change in the past year? Medical wise?" she asks.

"No, just this." J.D says quietly.

An orderly walks up to the nurse and hands her a chart. The nurse signs it and looks back at us.

"Michael's getting stitched and scanned as we speak. I'll let you stay in the room where he'll be in. Please be quite and fill out these forms for me while you're waiting for him." She says.

We all nod and then Soda, Darry, Rose, and Cola walk in.

"How is he? Is her hurt badly?" Rose asks coming over to J.D, giving her a tight hug.

"He's getting stiches and getting a head scan. He hit his head pretty hard" the nurse says. "I can only allow a few of you to stay with Michael, about three."

I look at my sister and she nods.

"Soda, Darry?" she asks them.

"I'll stay, if that's alright with you Dare." Soda says.

"That's fine, just call if you need anything." He says.

"If you'll follow me, I'll show you were Mikey is staying."

Me, J.D, and Uncle Soda followed the nurse up two floors and then to an average sized room in pediatrics. This was where Dad worked. His office was right down the hall. And the room he was in is just up one floor.

J.D sat in the chair next to the bed and started filling out forms. Soda went down the hall to call Aunt Rachael.

"Hey, J.D? I'm going to go to the bathroom, I'll be right back." I say.

"Alright, hurry back." She says not looking up.

I leave and go into the hallway. Nurses were going back and forth, and I could see Dad's old office at the end of the hallway. I walk casually down to the office. I jiggle the lock and see that it's unlocked. I open the door and look around. It only had the big wooden desk and the filing cabinets against the wall still there.

I can still picture the pictures and his coat hanger there, with his lab coat and his tan jacket hanging over the hooks. I go over to the desk and run my fingers over the top. My fingers gathered dust. I remember the pictures of Mom, me, J.D and M.J there. I try to open the drawers but see that it's locked. I try harder and it stays shut.

"Come on you stupid thing!" I mutter.

I feel under the desk and feel a key taped under the drawer. I slide under the table and peel off the tape. I get up and unlock the drawer.

Why would Dad lock this drawer? He never liked lock doors, he hated secrets.

I open the drawer and there's only one thing there. An old notebook with "The Outsiders" written on the cover.

**Please Review. **

**Sorry for the long update, my mom's been back from Afghanistan on leave, so I've been with her. **

**If you have any ideas tell me and I'll see if I can put them in.**

**If anyone wants pictures for the characters, I have Becoming Dallas Winston done. **


	18. Doctor Eric

Chapter 18

Patrick's POV

I sit on the floor and look over the notebook. It was old, and the cover was stained a little from coffee from the looks of it. The title read "The Outsiders" by "P.M Curtis." Those were Dad's initials. That's how he signed everything.

Under Dad's name was the date. November 5, 1967. That was almost 30 years ago. I open the cover and see that he got an A+ on it. I flipped to the next page, and read the first line.

'_When I stepped out, into the bright sunlight, from the darkness of the movie house, I only had two things on my mind, Paul Newman, and a ride home.'_

It was my Dad's handwriting, more sloppy but his hand writing. I smiled and felt the page. I looked up around the room and sighed. I laid my head against the wall and thought about what was going to happen. The State was going to take me and Mikey, or hopefully we stay with Darry or Soda, J.D stop working for Buck and go to that college she wanted to go to. I think she wanted to be a nurse. She would probably forgive Eric and they would live happily ever after, have a bunch of kids and grow old together. I wanted to hate what was going to happen, but I knew that it was probably what was best for everyone. Me and Mike living with Darry while J.D got to live how she wanted. It seemed right.

Someone knocked on the door and opened it. It was Soda.

"Patrick, what are you doing in here?" he asks coming over to where I was.

"Nothing, just thought I should come in." I said. He nods.

"What is that you got there?" he says. I give him the notebook and let him see it. He looks at the cover and smiles.

"I remember this. You're Dad wrote this when he was about your age. Patrick you should read this, I think you would like it." Soda hands it back to me.

"Any news on Mikey?" I ask.

"Yeah, the nurses said that he should be in the room any minute."

"We should go then." I say quietly.

"Yeah, come on kiddo." He says patting my shoulder.

J.D's POV

I filled out the forms that the nurse gave me as I waited for Mikey. I needed to call that Valance women, get her help with all this. If I was going to lose my brothers, I needed to make sure that either Darry or Soda got them.

Patrick left for a few minutes. I knew that he needed to blow off some steam. Soda went to call Aunt Rachael.

After about twenty minutes, there was a knock on the door. I looked up and saw a man in a mask and wearing one of those hats that doctors wear.

"Excuse me Miss, I believe that you called?" he removed his mask and I smirked when Eric smiled at me.

"What are you doing in here you goof?" I ask as he closes the door and takes off his mask and hat.

"I thought that you could use some company other than your family. Speaking of which, where are they?"

"Patrick left for a bit and Soda's calling his wife. Where did you get the outfit?" I ask.

"Supply closet. Remember when you did this for me when I busted my leg on my motorcycle?" he says sitting by me.

"Yeah, only family could see you, but I had to know you were okay." I said.

Eric took my hand and pulled it to his chest. He smiled at me and kissed my fingertips.

"Eric… don't." I whisper.

"Why?" He asks quietly.

"Because, just….. not here, not now. I need to be the responsible one for my brothers. If i didn't have to worry about them, we'd make this work. We'd leave this town and grow old somewhere. But we can't, and I'm not sorry for that. I want to be the responsible one for my brothers, because there all I got left."

Eric smiled and took my other hand into his.

"Then I'll wait. I'll wait so that I can be the responsible one, and take care of you. And be your family and we'll have our own kids. And we'll live happily ever after, just like we said when we were kids."

I smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I'm sorry, for everything." I said.

"Me too." He whispered in my ear.

**Reviews are appreciated. **

**Also, I want to start a new story, but I'm not sure which one to start. If you guys would help me, that would be great. Please tell me which one you guys think you would like me to start.**

**What is it wasn't Johnny with the knife, what if it was Ponyboy?**

**Ponyboy gets in trouble and has to clean the attic. He finds a journal that dates back to the 1800's.**

**Ponyboy is walking down the street a year after the fire. He sees a boy in the shadows with dark eyes, hair, and skin. There's no way it could be Johnny.**

**While coming home from school, Pony gets hit by a car and has an out-of-body experience. What does he see?**

**Also, I'm going to write a one shoot of my other story, Becoming Dallas Winston. I don't know what the title's going to be, but look out for it! **

**Sincerely, JCLS. **


	19. 18 5 Preview of New Story

I own nothing. All rights go to S.E Hinton. 

I know that you guys probably want to kill me, but I will update soon! Probably tomorrow (Thank you giant snow storm!). But I thought that you guys would like a sample of my next story coming up. I chose the one where Ponyboy has the knife, not Johnny. So, here's the first chapter.

Chapter 1

I lay in bed next to Soda, still shaking from getting jumped. I was still spooked. I kept thinking about what if the gang didn't get there quick enough and that blade had slipped, and cut my throat. Soda turned to me, wrapping his arm around me. I surrendered into his embrace, letting him cover me.

"Cold Pony?" he asks drowsily.

"A little." I lied.

"Listen, kiddo. Darry, he yells at you like that, he don't mean nothing. It's just that he got hit with a lot of responsibilities after Mom and Dad died, that he ain't use to. He's real proud of you cause you're so brainy. It's just cause you're the baby-I mean, he loves you a lot. Savvy?"

"Sure." I say, keeping the sarcasm out of my voice for Soda's sake.

"Soda?" I whisper quietly in the dark.

"Yeah?" he yawns.

"Was Darry right about how I should carry a blade? I mean, I don't want to get jumped again, not if I can help it." I say quietly.

Soda sits up and turns on the lamp next to the bed. I squint at the sudden change of brightness, covering my eyes with my arm. Soda gets out of bed, and goes over to the desk. He looks through the drawers, knocking half the stuff on it to the floor with a bang.

"Soda, what are you doing? You're going to wake Darry up." I whisper.

He turns around, smirking. He held a four inch black handled switchblade. It was the one that Soda got after Mom and Dad died. He said it for 'Just in case someone brakes in and Darry ain't home.'

He gets back under the covers, handing me the blade.

"I don't know if Darry was right or not, but if it makes you feel safe, carry that around. If it keeps you from getting jumped again, then I think Darry was right." He says turning out the light and rolling over. "Now, try and get some sleep, I got work in the morning, and then I got to go to that game with Sandy and Steve."

I look at the blade, knowing that this piece of metal could keep me from getting beat like Johnny was. I put it on the table next to me. I turn to Soda one more time.

"Soda? You in love with Sandy?" I ask shaking him some.

"Hhhmmm." He sighs happily.

"What's it like?" I ask.

He turned his head to me. "Most of the time, it's real nice."

"Alright." I say laying back down. Soda must have known that I was still scared cause he patted my back.

"Hey, it's going to be fine Pone, just go to sleep."

He turned back and went to sleep. I rolled on my back, looking at the celling. I breathed deep and closed my eyes, catching a glance of the metal on the handle of the blade gleaming from the moon light. I wanted to believe Soda and Darry that the blade could keep me from getting jumped. Hell, maybe it could keep me from getting sent to a boy's home. But, I couldn't help thinking that it could just make everything worse.

I'm sorry Soda, but I don't believe you.


	20. Really Really

I own nothing.

Chapter 19

Mikey's POV

UHH… My head! Where am I? Where's J.D? And Patrick? What's that annoying beeping sound? OW! Don't touch my head!

"Uhh….stop!" I groan. Someone takes my hand gently, rubbing my thumb.

"M.J? Come on baby brother, time to wake up. Come on Mikey, your safe."

J.D? I carefully open my eyes, squinting at the light. J.D was sitting there, and so were Uncle Soda, Patrick, and Eric. They were all fuzzy, the colors blending together.

"Sissy? My head hurts!" I say quietly. J.D kisses my forehead softly, rubbing my arm.

"I know, you have a concussion. It's going to hurt for a while. Just try not to move around too much. The nurses said that they'll give you more meds later. Do you remember what happened?"

I close my eyes and try to remember. The man, he grabbed me, and then he hit me, then threw me down. I hit my head. I tried to walk to Aunt Rosie's. Oh…my head.

"Mikey?" Patrick asks softly.

"Some guy tried to grab me; he hit me, and threw me down on the ground. I tried to walk to Aunt Rosie's, but when I got there, she wasn't home. I'm sorry J.D, I didn't mean to cause trouble."

"Oh, Mikey, don't apologize, you didn't mean anything. It's not your fault" J.D sooths me. "Do you want anything?"

"No, I'm fine." I look up at Patrick. He was looking at his feet, with his hands jammed into his pockets.

"Shouldn't you be in school?" I ask him. He scoffs.

"Yeah, I'm going Tuesday. I'm really sorry M.J. I should have been looking out for you." He says sitting on the bed.

"It's okay Patty. I'm not mad." I say.

"You should be, I would be." He says.

"Well I'm not, so don't…..AHH!" I grab at my head as a wave of pain goes through my skull.

"Mikey!" J.D goes over to me, holding me as best she can with the stuff I'm hooked too.

"I'm okay." I say scared.

"Eric, go ask the doctor if he can have his pain meds yet."

Eric leaves, and Soda goes with him. I look at my siblings. J.D was trying to look like the mature adult, while Patrick looked sad and angry at the same time. Then I remember something.

"Has the state been here? What did they say?" I ask. J.D takes a deep breath, and pats my hand.

"We have to go to a hearing soon, and then we'll see what happens afterward. You just focus on getting better and out of here. Let me worry about everything else."

"What happens if we lose?" I ask sitting up more.

"Then either Uncle Darry or Uncle Soda will take care of you guys. But don't worry, we'll win." J.D says.

"Maybe it would be easier if one of them did have custody of us. Then you could go back to school and marry Eric like you were going too." Pat says. I look up at him in shock. J.D takes his hand.

"Patrick Darrell Curtis. I don't care if giving you guys up was the 'easier' thing to do. Getting custody of you guys was probably one of the best things I will ever do in this life. Daddy wanted it this way, and so do I. So unless you want to live with Darry or Soda, I am never going to give you two up. Not for anything." She says seriously, looking at both of us.

"Even for Eric? And for college?" I ask timidly. She hugs us both.

"Yes, even for Eric and for college. You two are the most important people to me in this entire world. And I wouldn't trade you guys for anything." She says gently.

"Really?" I ask again.

J.D tickles me softly, making me laugh. She grabs Pat's arm so he's lying on his back, and she starts tickling him too.

"Really, Really."

**Please Review. Any ideas would be great!**


	21. Better Than Anyone

I own nothing of the Outsiders, S.E Hinton does.

Chapter 20

J.D's POV

I drove to Darry's house quietly. I was wearing a suit and a red shirt. We went to court today. Patrick and Mikey have been staying with Darry for a week. Mikey got out of the hospital about five days after he was rushed in by me and Eric. I had the boy's papers in the passenger seat. All their health, school, and birth records were sealed away in the one little folder. I remember going to court to get guardianship after Dad died; now I had to do it again.

I pulled up and got out of the car. Soda's car was here too. I walked in and saw the boy's rushing around getting ready. Mikey was putting on his shoes. Patrick was straitening his tie. Darry was running around trying to find something. Lizzy was drinking her coffee and helping Soda tie his tie.

"Hey boys." I say. M.J looks up and rushes to me. He wraps his arms around my waist. I bend down and kiss his forehead, smoothing his hair and avoiding his stitches.

"Hey baby brother, you ready to go yet?" I ask him.

"Yeah, I'm ready. What do you think the judge is going to say?" he looks up at me with puppy dog eyes.

"I think no matter what, the judge will put you and Patty where you need to be." I was just hoping it was with me. In only two weeks, things were looking better in our favor. I got a job with the law firm that Sherri Valance managed, and I got to quit my job working at the bar.

Patrick walked over to me, messing with his jacket. I smiled and hugged him.

"I can't get the stupid buttons right!" he grumbles. I chuckle and help him with the jacket. I then realize that this was Dad's old coat. Patrick was growing up, fast. I didn't like it. I missed the sweet, innocent little seven year old boy that called me sissy. The buttons were in one of those weaving patterns, so it was hard to figure out.

"There, all good." I smooth out the front of the jacket and look at him.

"How do I look?" he asks.

"Like Dad." I smile weakly.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Darry asks coming out.

"Yes, I think so. All you boys look great." I drawl.

"Thank you. Alright, Patrick and Mikey are riding with me and Aunt Lizzy, and J.D is riding with Soda." He says clapping his hands together.

"Why can't we ride with J.D?" Mikey asks.

"Because, you and Patrick aren't supposed to see Johnny Dallas until the trial. We've already broken the rules by having dinner together last night." Aunt Lizzy reminds Mikey.

"Okay." He sighs.

I and Soda get to the court house first. I carry the folder with me into the court room. There's another trial going on as the others get here. Eric arrives with Cola and Shay. We have to wait twenty minutes until Ms. Valance gets here. I get up to shake her hand.

"Sherri."

"J.D, how are you doing?" she asks quietly as we sit down.

"Fine, thank you. Are you ready?" I ask.

"Yes, everything is in order. You'll get your brothers Ms. Curtis, I can almost guarantee it."

We were up next. Me and Sherri went up to our desk. CPS was sitting at the opposite desk. So was our caseworker.

"All rise!"

Everyone stood. Our case number was called out. I looked back at my brothers and smiled. Pat put his arm around Mikey nodding. A middle aged man came out with a long black robe on. He sat in his chair and banged his gavel.

"You may be seated. State your case, Ms. Smith."

"Thank you Your Honor. The minors Patrick and Michael are currently in the care of their older sister, Johnny Dallas. Michael was in an accident about two weeks ago, that could have been avoided if in the right care. Child Protective Services do not believe that Johnny Dallas is responsible enough to be their caretaker, and advise that in the minors best interest be transferred into the care of their uncles."

"Anything else?" he asks looking through papers.

"No, Your Honor." She says.

"Ms. Valance?"

Sherri rose putting a hand on my shoulder. She removed her glasses and looked at the judge.

"Johnny Dallas Curtis is not only a responsible adult, but a loving a caring guardian. She has given up her education and part of her life to get custody of her brothers. Their father died only a year ago from cancer. Not only did she get custody, but their father wanted her to have custody. She has a full time job at my law firm, money in savings, and receives money from Social Security in death benefits for the two boys. In short, your honor, it would not be in the boy's best interest to be removed from their sister. This family has already lost their parents, Your Honor, don't make them lose each other."

The judge sighs and rubs his eyes. "Ms. Curtis, why should I give you custody of your brothers?"

I stood up nervously. "Well, Your Honor. I've know the boys better than anyone. I've known them all their lives. I was there when Mikey and Pat were born. I was their surrogate mother when our mother was killed in a hold up. I dropped out of school so that I could be there for them when we found out that our father had lung cancer. I left my fiancé so that I could focus on my brothers. I know that Darry or Sodapop could take them, but they don't know them like I do. I know that they would take good, if not even better care of them then I would. I know that I can do this, sir. I just want to keep my family together." I sounded like I was begging. But all of it was true. I knew my brothers better than anyone, and I could do this.

"You seem like a responsible and confident woman Ms. Curtis. Custody is ordered to Johnny Dallas Curtis. CPS will continue check-ups every month, to make sure the boys are taken care of. Next case!"

He bangs the gavel, and hands the bailiff the folder. I turn back to my brothers and hold them close to me. Mikey is bouncing, and Pat is chuckling as I mess up his hair. I pull them back and smile.

"Can we go home now?" M.J asks. I chuckle.

"Yeah, let's go home." I say.

We had ice cream and ribs as a victory dinner. Everyone came over, Steve and Debbie included. I sat next to Mikey and Pat on the couch. Instead of Mikey reading, Patrick was.

"Hey, Pat, what you got there?" I nudge him,

He looks up. "Nothing, just an old notebook of Dad's."

I lift the book to see the title.

"The Outsiders, by P.M Curtis. Wow, when did Dad write this?" I look at the book closer.

"It says November 5, 1967. Almost 30 years ago. Dad was about my age when he wrote this." Pat replies.

"Wow, where did you find it?" I take the book from him, flipping the pages.

"I found it in Dad's office desk. The drawer was locked." He answers.

"Wow, would you mind if I read it after you're done?"

"No, I wouldn't mind." He takes the book back.

I feel a tap on my shoulder. I turn to see Eric standing behind me. He smiles and holds out his hand. I take it and get off the couch.

"Mind if I borrow J.D for a minute?" he asks my brother.

"Go ahead." He says.

Eric leads me outside and closes the sliding door.

"What are you doing?" I ask. Eric smiles and leads me to the old tree that we use to lay under together.

Eric jumps on the big limb of the tree. He pats the spot next to him. I smirk and jump up next to him. I lean against the tree and take Eric's hand.

"You got the boys back." He wasn't asking.

"You don't seem too thrilled about it." I question.

"I am! I really am, but Johnny. I don't want to be the same jerk as last time. I won't leave you again. I still love you, J.D." he gets on the ground.

"Eric…"

He gets down on his knee and pulls out the ring he presented to me the night Dad collapsed.

"I won't make you choose between me and the boys. I'll support you in everything you do. I will be the best father figure and father to the boys. And I swear to you, Johnny Dallas Curtis, I will never leave you again. Will you marry me?"

I hop off the tree limb and bend down to Eric. I take the ring and slip it on my finger.

"Yes. A thousand times yes."

I put my hands on his face and kiss him deeply. Eric wraps his arms around me and lifts me up to stand. He spins us around and chuckles.

**Please Review. Only one chapter to go…**

**Thank you for being patient. It's been a LONG semester. I'll be starting two more stories soon.**


	22. Epilogue

Epilogue  
Pat's POV

"_Stupid tie…"_

I kept trying to get this ridiculous tie right. I was with the guys at Darry's place waiting to drive over to the church. I undid the knot again and took a breath.

"Okay, you want to be this way? Fine, let's just see how you like this!"

I threw my tie on the ground and started to stomp on it. Soda came in and looked at me.

"Um….Patrick? Having a little trouble there?" he raises his eyebrows.

"Well, yeah, could you help me? I never needed to learn to tie a tie until now." I ask. Soda comes over to me and I hand him the tie. He turns me away from the mirror and starts making up the tie. He gets in front of me and finishes it for me. He lets me see what I look like and smiles. Aunt Rhonda cut my hair yesterday so I look nice for today. It still had that stupid cowlick in the back, but it looked pretty decent. The suit was Cola's old one. It fit me good, but was a little short at the ankles, but my socks would cover that. I was wearing a blue tie and my Dad's old watch. All and all, I looked pretty good.

"You look like your Uncle Darry." He chuckles.

"I guess." I say. Soda gives me a look.

"Are you alright? We everything I mean? You know that J.D won't…."

"I'm fine Soda. It's just that it's hard to believe that Eric's going to be my brother-in-law."

Soda pats me on the back. "I know, everyone's nightmare, a Randle becoming part of the family!" he laughs. I groan. He sits on the bed that he and my father use to share and pats the spot next to him. I sit next to him. "You know that you and Mikey are going to be fine, right? J.D is still going to be your sister after today, no matter what."

"Yeah I know. I just keep thinking what Dad what have thought of all this. I mean, what was he thinking when he gave Eric his blessing? Eric is just…."

"Eric?" Soda smirks.

"Yeah"

"Eric's a good guy. I just think you're pissy because you'll know what goes on your sister's bedroom when you hear…"

"LA LA LA LA! I CAN'T HEAR YOU! I CAN'T HEAR YOU!" I cover my ears and run out of the room. Soda comes out laughing his ass off. Mikey is eating a hotdog on the counter in his little suit. Aunt Lizzy comes in the door and looks at him.

"Michael James Curtis! You don't eat a hotdog in a suit!" she scolds him.

"This hotdog isn't in a suit!" he smiles. She chuckles and rubs his hair.

"Little punk!" she says. Uncle Darry comes out of his room in his nice shirt and tie. He sees Lizzy and wraps his arms around her.

"You look beautiful." He murmurs dipping her down and kissing her. Cola, Shayne, and Kevin walk in in their wedding attire. Cola was the best man and Shayne and Kevin were groomsmen. Aunt Rose was the maid of honor. I was going to give J.D away. Mikey was going to be the ring bearer.

"Quick M.J! Cover your innocent eyes!" Kevin runs over to Mikey and covers his eyes.

"Are we almost ready to go? The wedding starts in three hours, J.D and Rose are already at the church." Shayne says checking his watch. Debbie came in then, wearing her dress. She's lost some weight, and now I can see why Shayne hooked up with her. Debbie was kinda hot.

"Yes, we need to get going. Everyone load up!"

J.D's POV

Everyone but I and Patrick had walked down the aisle. I was wearing my mother's wedding dress, just without the shoulders. It was getting near spring time, and the Tulsa heat was coming around. I looked at Patrick who was leaning against the wall next to the church doors. I smiled at him. Our turn was here.

"You ready?" I ask him.

"Yeah, I'm ready. Let's go get married." He holds out his arm for me to take. I grab his chin gently and kiss his cheek.

"Thank you, Patrick, for everything. You have no idea how much this means to me." I tell him. He looks at me strangely.

"I'm just walking you down the aisle sissy…."

"No, not that! Well, that too, but I mean with me marrying Eric. I know you and him don't always see eye to eye, but…."

"J.D, if he makes you happy, I'm happy. You're my sister, it doesn't matter if I don't see 'eye to eye' with Eric, it matters that he's a good man, and that he loves you." He says giving me a hug.

The doors open and the music plays. Patrick leads me down the aisle. You always hear before you get married things about tunnel vision or butterflies fluttering around in your stomach. But, when I saw Eric, all I saw was him. Just Eric, nothing else. I felt so relaxed and so at peace with the world, it was like drifting into a dream. Patrick kissed me on the cheek once, and then took his place in the line of groomsmen. I stood next to Eric, and he lifted my vile. We turned toward the minister. A few prayers were said by the minister, music was played, scriptures about two souls joined together as one were read aloud, then we finally got down the nitty gritty.

"If anyone here who believes that these two people should not be joined together in holy matrimony, please speak now or forever hold your peace."

Everything was silent.

"Do you, Eric Mason Randell take this woman, Johnny Dallas Curtis, as your lawfully wedded wife? To love and cherish, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, forsaking all others, for better or worse, as long as you both shall live?"

He squeezed my hand softly.

"I do."

And do you, Johnny Dallas Curtis, take this man, Eric Mason Randell, as your lawfully wedded husband? To love and cherish, to have and to hold, in sickness and in health, for richer or poorer, forsaking all others, for better or worse, as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"If I could have the rings please?"

Cola reached into his pocket and handed Eric the rings.

"With this ring" Eric slipped it on my finger. "I thee wed."

I took Eric's hand in mine. "With this ring" I slipped it on his finger. "I thee wed."

"You may now kiss the bride."

Eric took my chin in his hand and leaned in to kiss me. I placed my hand on his cheek, holding my husband. It was like our first kiss all over again. Nicotine, mint gum, and strawberries. The strawberries were from me, from what Eric told me.

We turned back to the minister, who was smiling.

"Ladies and Gentleman, I know present to you, Mr. and Mrs. Eric Randell!" he declared.

Music and applause rang out as we walked down the aisle for the first time being able to call each other wife and husband. The Cola, Patrick, and Kevin followed with the bridesmaids. I looked at Eric and smiled.

"Did you ever think that this is how we would have ended up when we were teenagers? Back when you hated me, on that road trip? Did you ever think that we were going to get married?" he asks me.

"No, I never thought that. I just figured that you were some punk that wanted to get laid." I tease him.

"I told you I wasn't such a bad guy."

"I know. I love you, Eric." I kiss him again.

"I love you, J.D"

"Hey J.D! Eric! Come on! Let's bust out the wine and cake!" Cola hollers at us.

We laugh and go over to where our family is. I never would have thought 8 years ago that this is how our family would be. Daddy gone, me and Eric married, having custody of my brothers. But somehow, I couldn't see it any other way.

**END**

**Thank you all for your reviews and support! New stories to come in the summer! If you want another squeal, just tell me in the reviews! Thanks again to you all and S.E Hinton for her genius for this book! **


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